1. Field
Example embodiments of the present invention relate generally to wireless networks and handling transmission of data to a mobile device in a wireless network through multiple channels.
2. Description of the Related Art
Advanced wireless data systems such as EVDO Rev. B allow a single user to access multiple data channels in order to improve user performance. With Multi-Link PPP, an application stream is sent to a user over multiple channels. Upper layer packets of the application stream are fragmented or concatenated as necessary, encapsulated in lower layer packets, and sent over selected channels. At the receiver end, the lower layer packets are processed and the upper layer packets are recovered from one or more lower layer packets. The use of multiple data channels allows a wireless system to maximize efficiency with respect to bandwidth usage when sending data to receivers.
In a wireless system, a packet dispatcher can be used to send data packets of an application stream to the user through multiple channels. The multiple channels through which the data packets are sent to the user are independent from one another and may each experience substantially different loading conditions from one another at any given time. Sending data packets to the user through heavily loaded channels results in significant delays for the data packets. These delays result in reduced performance for the user and the wireless system in general.